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Philhour and O'Keefe

"The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery." - Mark Van Doren

Honors Physics 2007-08 / 2nd Semester

Most recent update May 23, 2008 11:25 AM

Schedule

  • Week of Monday, January 7th - Introduction to the Spring Semester // Introduce Thermodynamics & Fluids (Ch 18 & 19)
    • Day 1
      • 3rd Quarter - In this quarter we'll survey a variety of topics in physics using the foundation we built in the 1st semester. This means we'll cover these topics in less depth than we are used to.
        • Thermodynamics & Fluids
        • Simple Harmonic Motion & Sound
        • Light & Atoms
        • Nuclear Physics & Astrophysics
      • 4th Quarter - In this quarter we will investigate, in depth, the physics of electricity & magnetism, including their applications in circuits & motors.
        • Electrostatics
        • Magnetism
        • Circuits
      • Introduce Thermodynamics Unit
        • The study of atoms in aggregate and the flow of energy into and out of these systems: liquids, gases, thermodynamics and heat engines
        • Kinetic Theory of Matter
          • Demo: Mardi Gras Beads
          • Thermal Energy: equal to average kinetic energy <KE>; typically the only energy content of a gas is in the kinetic energy of its molecules (we'll learn to calculate this on Day 2)
          • Temperature, T: measurement (in Kelvin) of thermal energy (average kinetic energy)
          • Amount, N: number of particles in a gas
          • Mass, m: depends on the number and type of particles in a gas
          • Volume, V: depends on the shape of the container
          • Density, ρ: measurement of the mass per unit volume in a gas
          • Pressure, P: the force exerted by a gas on an area
            • P = F / A
            • Demo: Bed of Nails
        • Ideal Gas Law
          • PV = NkT
        • Heat Engines: The purpose of a heat engine is to convert thermal energy into useful work
      • HW: Ch 19 #s 7, 8, 20, 21, 22 // Online HW: Visit the PhET website and play with the thermodynamics applets called Friction, Gas Properties, and Ballons and Buoyancy. When working on the Gas Properties demo, verify the Ideal Gas Law.
      • GEAUX TIGERS!
    • Day 2
      • Review of Day 1
        • Work a pressure problem: estimating how much force is exerted by one of our air-blaster guns (use the face that P and V are inversely proportional, estimate the factor by which the V has decreased while 'pumped' and use this to estimate the pressure inside. Estimate the area visually.)
      • Thermal Energy = Average Kinetic Energy
      • Work redefined:
        • W = Force x Displacement = (Force / Area) x (Area / Volume) = Pressure x Change in Volume
        • W = P ΔV
        • Connect this to Heat Engines
      • HW: Ch 19 #s 6, 18, 19, 29
      • GO 'CATS!
    • Day 3
    • Day 4
      • HW Quiz
      • Introduction to Fluids
      • Gases & Liquids are both fluids
        • Both “flow” and “stick”
        • Gases are compressible, Liquids are incompressible
        • Demo:  air vs water balloons
      • Hydraulics
      • HW: Ch 18 #s 9, 14 // Gather supplies for Stirling Engine

 

  • Week of Monday, January 14th - Thermodynamics & Fluids (Ch 18 & 19)
    • Day 1
      • Guiding Questions for study of Fluids:
        • 1) How do objects float?
        • 2) How do objects fly?
      • Pressure increases with depth in a gravitational field (weight of fluid column increases)
      • Pressure re-defined
        • P = F / A
        • P = ρ g h
      • Atmospheric Pressure
        • Demo: Crushed Can
      • P_tot = P_o + ρ g h
        • Demo: Peeing Cylinder
      • How do objects float?
      • HW: Ch 18 #s 6, 7, 10, 15, 16, 17
    • Day 2
    • Day 3
      • Lab
        • This lab will be similar to Ch 18 #8
        • The idea is as follows: when you use a force probe to hold an object still in air, the force probe simply reads out the weight of the object. However, when you submerge the object, the force probe will read less, since there is also now a buoyant force acting on the object. The difference between the force probe reading and the weight of the object should be the buoyant force. I want you to quantitatively compare this measured force to the weight of the displaced water (which you can get by measuring its volume and using the known density of water -- no need to weigh the water directly). A good experiment will involve a variety of trials and proper calibration of the force probe (check by hanging known weights). Write this up and turn in on Day 3 of next week.
        • Here's a generic rubric you can use to inform your lab writeup
      • HW: Start working on practice exam posted on PPB website / continue work on your Stirling Engine Project
    • Day 4
      • 1st Period (BJP's class) -- *** MEET IN BETA LAB ***
      • 3rd Period (BJP's class) -- meet in regular classroom, we'll use laptop cart
      • 4th, 6th, and 7th periods (AOK's classes) -- meet in usual classroom, then we'll go to Beta or Alpha Lab
      • The exam has been moved to Day 1 of next week to allow retreatants to catch up.
      • Computer Lab
        • Open a word document and save it with a file name including the words 'PhET Simulations' and your last name. For instance, for student Abraham Lincoln the file name would be 'PhET Simulations Lincoln.docx'. Answer the questions below that go along with each simulation.
        • PhET Simulations
          • Reinforcing what we have learned these two weeks (in advance of Monday's exam) -- do all three of these:
            • Gas Properties
              • Do work on the gas by pushing it to smaller volume using the little space man. (Remember work = pressure times change in volume, or W = P * delta V). What happens to the internal energy NkT of the gas?
              • When you mix a light species and heavy species of gas at the same temperature, how do the two types of gases differ in how they move?
            • Balloons and Buoyancy
              • Click on the 'rigid hollow sphere' at the top. This is an EMPTY sphere. Explain how the sphere can float.
              • Now use the controls on the right to add a light species of gas to the sphere. What does adding this species of gas do to the ability of the sphere to float? Can you add enough of this gas until the sphere sinks?
              • Now try the same thing but with a heavy species... what happens to the ability of the sphere to float? Can you add enough of this gas until the sphere sinks?
              • A physicist would argue that the buoyant force was the same in all three of these situations. So why did some float and some sink?
            • Friction
              • Click 'reset' and let the atoms settle to a low temperature. Now grab the top book and rub it against the bottom book. What happens to the atomic temperature? How is this reflected in the motion of the atoms? What does it mean when we say the books 'melt'?
          • Preparing for the upcoming material of the next few weeks -- do as many as you can:
            • Masses & Springs
              • Start by just playing around for a bit. Get your ya-ya's out then restart.
              • Reduce the friction to zero so they'll bounce up and down forever.
              • Springs 1 and 2 have the same stiffness constant (remember we called this 'k'). Verify that if you put the same mass on either of these, the mass bobs up and down at the same rate. (Use the stopwatch to time how long it takes to go up and down once -- you can slow down time if you need to.)
              • Does a more massive object bob up and down at a faster or slower rate?
              • Vary the stiffness of Spring 3 using the slider bar. Does an object bobbing up and down on this spring do so more rapidly for a stiff spring or a weak spring?
              • Does the period of time it takes the mass to go up and down depend on the force of gravity? If so, how? Experiment by varying the planet the experiment is taking place on.
            • Wave on a String
              • Explain what effect varying the damping and tension slider bars has on the speed of waves on this string.
              • You can cause waves to 'reflect' off the right hand end. How do reflections off a fixed end differ from reflections off a loose end?
              • Change to 'oscillate' at the left end. See if you can produce a wave that seems to 'stand in place' -- this means the reflected wave and the wave you are generating are interfering in such a way to make a 'standing wave'
            • Wave interference
              • Note there are three tabs at the top: water, sound, and light. Start with water.
              • Vary the frequency and amplitude of the drips. What does this do to the water waves that result? Be sure to 'show graph' so you can see the wave in cross-section.
              • In the 'sound' tab, try both 'grayscale' and 'particles' -- which is more physically realistic? Why?
              • In the 'light' tab, try two sources of light and show the intensity on a screen. Why are there permanent dark and light parts on the screen?
            • Sound
              • This is best experienced with audio, so figure out how to work it but come back to this (and all the PhETs here) when you have a computer that can play sound.
      • HW:
        • Study for Exam
        • Here's a short quiz on buoyancy that covers the basics (use the public folders to check your answers)
        • Practice exam posted on PPB website
          • NOTE: skip #2 part h from the regular exam from last year
          • NOTE: skip #4 and #5 part d through #5 part f on the makeup exam from last year -- this is material we did not cover this year
        • Continue work on your Stirling Engine Project

 

  • Week of Monday, January 21st - Simple Harmonic Motion & Sound (Ch 10 & 11)
    • Monday: MLK Holiday
    • Day 1
    • Day 2
      • Brief introduction to the concept of Simple Harmonic Motion (SHM): why it is "simple" and why it is "harmonic"; concept viewed from a force perspective and an energy perspective
      • Demo: SHM for a mass on a spring - using a sonic range finder
        • Describing equilibrium
        • Calculating the period of oscillation and using this equation to describe different situations (car shocks, buoy bobbing, etc.) -- in physics language we say 'identifying linear restoring forces'
        • Writing the equation of motion for position x(t) in terms of sine or cosine functions
        • Writing the equation of motion for velocity v(t) in terms of sine or cosine functions; matching this function with the function for x(t)
      • In-Class: PPB Ch 10 # 2 & 8
      • HW: Ch 10 #s 1, 3, 4 // finish lab writeup for Day 3 // continue work on your Stirling Engine Project
    • Day 3
      • Lab from last week due
      • SHM for a pendulum as below
      • In-class Lab / Demonstration: each student will measure the period of three pendulums; for each pendulum they will inform the instructor of the period of motion (in seconds), length of the string (in meters), the mass of the bob (in kg), and the initial angle of the pendulum (in degrees). The instructor will enter this data into excel and look for patterns. Here is the data from 1st and 3rd periods: Pendulum Lab Results.xlsx
      • HW:
          • Benchmark 1: for MONDAY, please take a photo of your Stirling engine in progress. This photo should include some parts partially assembled, some parts unassembled, some tools, etc.
          • You will send the photo to Mr. Philhour (even if you're in Mr. O'Keefe's classes). It should be a reasonably sized image file that shows the state of your Stirling engine -- PLEASE shrink the image so that when viewed at 100% it fits in the screen. I prefer .jpg files less than 200 kb in size!!!
          • The filename for the image should include both your name and your partner's name
          • If you want to see the images from last year at this time (to see how you're doing!), you can download the entire set in this compressed folder (some are funny)

 

  • Week of Monday, January 28: Waves and Sound (Ch's 10 & 11)
    • Day 1
      • Some guiding questions for this unit:
        • What is a wave? What's waving?
        • What is sound? How do musical instruments work?
        • How does this relate to biology? What is echolocation?
        • What is resonance?
        • How does this relate to engineering? How do we build earthquake-safe buildings & bridges?
      • Review properties of waves (amplitude, frequency, period)
      • Introduce medium, wavelength (λ), wave speed (v)
      • Fundamental wave equation:
        • v =λ f
        • speed of sound // speed of light
      • Longitudinal & Transverse Waves
        • Demo: slynkies
      • PhET Simulations:
      • HW: Ch 11 #s 7, 8, 12
      • Internet HW: watch this short video on echolocation (here's a YouTube link to the same thing)
      • Reading HW: begin reading two articles: Richard Dawkins on echolocation and Is Sonar Boy for real? from Slate; finish in time for HW Quiz on Day 4
    • Day 2 - Meeting Day Schedule for Tuesday (1st period)
    • Day 3
      • Share HW solutions
      • Stringed instruments
      • Harmonics as multiples of the fundamental frequency
      • Calculating the frequency of the nth harmonic
      • Demo: stringed instruments -- instructor will show harmonics in frequency-space fourier transforms using Logger Pro
      • Demo: tuning fork & strobe light ... motion of a string/rod/etc. tied at one end
      • Internet & Reading HW: see Days 1 & 2 (HW Quiz on reading and internet material tomorrow) and
      • HW: Ch 11 #s 14, 15, 19 and play around with the PhET simulations (go to 'sound and waves') -- for instance, notice what kinds of reflections you get when you send a wave on a string toward a fixed end point, an open end point, or towards no end point.

STIRLING ENGINE WORK PARTY THURSDAY AFTER SCHOOL IN THE PHYSICS LAB

    • Day 4
      • HW Quiz (20 minutes) on reading and internet material this week -- notes allowed but not the articles themselves
      • Resonance
      • Standing waves in bridges (similar to those in strings) / Earthquakes / Tacoma Narrows YouTube video
      • Demo: shaker table
      • Demo: breaking glass!
      • HW: Ch 11 #s 2, 5
        • Continue work on Stirling Engine Project -- Benchmark 2 due on Monday by email to Mr. Philhour; your e-mail should include the following:
          • a reasonably sized image file that shows the state of your Stirling engine -- PLEASE shrink the image so that when viewed at 100% it fits in the screen. I prefer .jpg files less than 200 kb in size!!!
          • both your name and your partner's name

 

  • Week of Monday, February 4: Waves & Sound (Ch's 10 & 11)

 

  • Week of Monday, February 11: Light & Atoms (Ch's 17 & 24)
    • Day 1
      • HW Quiz on SHM & Sound Waves - A chance to have a quick assessment before the exam on Day 2
      • Exam Review
      • HW: Study for Exam on Day 2
    • Day 2

STIRLING ENGINE WORK PARTY TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY AFTER SCHOOL IN THE PHYSICS LAB

    • Day 3
      • Discussion of AP Physics B Exam (Monday May 12)
      • Begin unit on Light & Atoms
      • Light as an electromagnetic wave
        • Review EM Spectrum
        • In-Class Work: PPB Ch 17 #s 1, 3, 5
      • Reflection
        • Demo: mirror & laser
        • Where is the image? Can we figure it out by triangulation?
      • Refraction
        • In-Class Work: PPB Ch 17 # 8
        • Demo: test tube in beaker
      • Snell's Law
    • Day 4
      • HW Review
      • Hands-on project: focusing light and creating images (virtual and real) with mirrors and lenses
        • Real Images
        • Virtual Images
      • Flat Mirror Reflection:
        • In-Class Work: PPB Ch 17 # 18
      • Drawing ray diagrams for concave/converging & convex/diverging mirrors
      • Resources for understanding & drawing ray-diagrams for lenses and mirrors:
      • Sign conventions:
        • object is to left of mirror or lens; object distance is positive
        • concave mirror: focal length is positive and left of mirror; if the image distance is negative (right of the mirror / behind the mirror) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (left of the mirror / in front of the mirror) the image is real
        • convex mirror: focal length is negative and right of mirror; if the image distance is negative (right of the mirror / behind the mirror) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (left of the mirror / in front of the mirror) the image is real
        • concave lens: focal length is negative; if the image distance is negative (left of the lens) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (right of the lens) the image is real
        • convex lens: focal length is positive; if the image distance is negative (left of the lens) the image is virtual; if the image distance is positive (right of the lens) the image is real
      • Sign Conventions for focal lengths:
        • converging lenses (convex) & converging mirrors (concave): focal lengths are positive
        • diverging lenses (concave) & diverging mirrors (convex): focal lengths are negative
      • HW: Read table and instructions on bottom of page 17-7 then begin working on Light & Optics Review Packet (Due next week on Day 3) - note: we haven't covered everything in the review packet yet so start with the problems we have covered

    MAKEUP EXAM FOR RETREATANTS ON FRIDAY @ 1:45

  • Week of Tuesday, February 19: Light & Atoms (Ch's 17 & 24)
    • Monday - Presidents' Day Holiday
    • This week, AOK & BJP's classes will be out of sync a bit since BJP is on retreat next week
    • Day 1
      • AOK:
        • Drawing ray diagrams for concave/converging & convex/diverging mirrors
      • BJP:
        • Drawing ray diagrams for concave/diverging & convex/converging lenses
          • Practice time
        • Short lecture introducing tomorrow's lab
          • How do we know light is a wave? Does it demonstrate interference like other waves (sound, water)?
          • n*lambda = dsin(theta)
          • Some useful websites: 1, 2, 3, 4
      • HW: All Classes: Continue working on Light & Optics Review Packet (Due Day 3)
        • AOK: Watch these two sections of Brian Greene's NOVA series The Elegant Universe , under Hour 1
          • "A Strange New World" (~4.5 min)
          • "The Quantum Cafe" (~8.5 min)
        • BJP: PPB Ch 17 # 28 (this one will prepare you for the lab tomorrow)
    • Day 2

      ASTRONOMY EVENT - Come view the total lunar eclipse with the Astronomy Club on Wed, Feb 20 and earn a 4 on an engagement benchmark. Meet at the flagpole in front of the school at 6:30 and stay for about an hour. This is a chance to see how the optics of mirrors & lenses are applied to telescopes. As always, we have to adjust for weather conditions so check back here on the weblog for changes or cancellations. Hope to see you there!

    We CANCELLED the viewing from SI for tonight -- the weather is too poor. Hopefully it'll be better where you are =)

    *** Here's a nice one-sheet with information about the eclipse.

    STIRLING ENGINE WORK PARTY WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY AFTER SCHOOL IN THE PHYSICS LAB

    STIRLING ENGINE WORK PARTY SATURDAY NOON TO 3 PM IN THE PHYSICS LAB (we'll come to the flagpole on the hour to make sure you can get in the building.)

     

  • Week of Monday, February 25: Nuclear Physics (Ch 21)
    • Day 1
      • BJP: on retreat
      • AOK:
        • Short lecture introducing lab
          • How do we know light is a wave? Does it demonstrate interference like other waves (sound, water)?
          • n*lambda = dsin(theta)
          • Some useful websites: 1, 2, 3, 4
          Lab: Laser Interference (Due Day 2)
      • HW: AOK: Ch 17 # 28 // Finish Lab Sheet from today // Finish Exam Corrections by Day 3
      • Internet HW: Check out one or both of these quantum phenomena
        • The Photoelectric Effect - Did you know that light can generate electricity? You encounter this effect everytime you encounter an automatic door opener (like at the grocery store). Though Einstein is most famous for his theory of relativity, he actually won the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect (he never won it for his theory of relativity!). Here's a PhET simulation on the photoelectric effect.
        • Lasers - Did you know that the term "laser" is an anacronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emmision of Radiation (LASER)? Here's a PhET Simulation on lasers and an explanation of how lasers work
    • Day 2
      • BJP: on retreat
      • AOK:
        • Radiation as the 3rd means of transferring of energy (work & heat are the other two)
        • Radioactive decay
          • alpha, beta, & gamma decay
          • Writing down nuclear decay equations (this will remind you of writing down balanced equations in chemistry -- you'll likely find it much easier this time around)
        • Demo: radioactive samples & Geiger counter
        • Radiation intensity ~ 1 / r^2
        • Half-Life & Carbon Dating
        • HW: PPB Ch 21 #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 7 // Finish Exam Corrections by Day 3 // Practice Midterm on PPB website (under chapter 17 on light)
    • Day 3
      • BJP:
        • Radiation as the 3rd means of transferring of energy (work & heat are the other two)
        • Fusion, Fission, & E = m c^2
        • Radioactive decay
          • alpha, beta, & gamma decay
            • alpha decay example: 238-U to 234-Th + 4He
            • beta decay example: 137-Cs to 137-Ba + electron + neutrino
            • gamma decay example: 60-Ni (excited) to 60-Ni
          • Writing down nuclear decay equations (this will remind you of writing down balanced equations in chemistry -- you'll likely find it much easier this time around)
        • Demo: radioactive samples & Geiger counter
        • HW: PPB Ch 21 #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 // Practice Midterm on PPB Website (under chapter 17 on light)
      • AOK:
        • Radiation intensity ~ 1 / r^2
        • Half-Life & Carbon Dating
        • Fusion, Fission, & E = m c^2
        • Exam Review
        • HW: PPB Ch 21 #s 5, 8, 10, 15, 17 // Begin working on Nuclear War Project // Practice midterm on PPB Website (under chapter 17 on light)
    • Day 4
      • ALL CLASSES: Exam on Light
      • All Classes
        • HW:Get caught up on HW // Continue working on Nuclear War Project // Midterm Review
        • HW: PPB Ch 21 #s 5, 8, 10, 15, 17

 

  • Week of Monday, March 3: Midterm Week
    • Monday - Activity Schedule
      • Electives & AP advertising for 4th year science classes
      • Exam review & preparation
      • HW: Study for midterm exam -- be sure to review old exams and keys at the People's Physics Book site!
    • Tuesday
      • Midterm Exam (0,1,2,3) covering all material from this semester
        • HW: continue work on Nuclear War Project -- send in ROUGH DRAFT AS A BENCHMARK by 8 PM Sunday -- this doesn't have to be completed, but we want you to start!
    • Wednesday
      • Midterm Exam (4,5,6,7) covering all material from this semester
        • HW: continue work on Nuclear War Project -- send in ROUGH DRAFT AS A BENCHMARK by 8 PM Sunday -- this doesn't have to be completed, but we want you to start!
    • Thursday & Friday - no class (Faculty in-service & quarter break)
        • HW: continue work on Nuclear War Project -- send in ROUGH DRAFT AS A BENCHMARK by 8 PM Sunday -- this doesn't have to be completed, but we want you to start!

 

  • Week of Monday, March 10: Astrophysics (Ch 25)
    • Day 1
      • The Solar System
        • The structure of the solar system
        • The composition of the solar system
      • The Galaxy & Large Scale Structure of the Universe
      • HW
    • Day 2
      • Computer Lab
        • 1st and 4th periods in Beta Lab
        • 3rd, 6th, and 7th periods in Alpha Lab
        • OUTCOME/GOAL: Become familiar with the Celestia program as a way to explore and learn about the Solar System, Galaxy, and greater Unvierse
        • Open the program Celestia (available in Program Files)
        • Go to Help - Controls to learn how to navigate in Celestia
          • Important controls include home/end (zoom in and out) and the arrow keys (including with Shift pressed to rotate the camera view)
        • Open a Word document with your name in the filename and describe your experiments with Celestia. If you don't know what to do, you can use this:
        • However, if you want to do more / go beyond / do something different, try using the Tour Guide to explore a variety of neat places, including the Pleiades star cluster
        • E-mail this document to your instructor by Day 4
      • HW
    • Day 3
      • Stellar Classification (Spectral classes: OBAFGKM) (Luminosity classes: V (main-sequence), III & IV (giant), I & II (super-giant))
      • Stellar Life Cycles
      • Planetary formation
      • HW
        • Finish Celestia work (email to your instructor by Day 4)
        • Continue work on Nuclear War Project
    • Day 4
      • Mass-Luminosity Relationships
      • Hertzsprung-Russell Diagrams (HR Diagrams)
      • HW
        • Finish final draft of Nuclear War Project -- turn in by 8 PM Sunday March 16
        • If you are taking the AP Physics B exam in May, check out our Physics B test prep site ... there you will find equation sheets, lists of topics, and practice tests with solutions.

 

HEY! Are you interested in taking part in the PhysicsBowl? This is a nationwide competition that consists of taking a 45-minute multiple-choice exam here at SI in one of the first weeks of April. If you're interested, read more here then e-mail Mr. Philhour before Spring Break.

 

  • Week of Monday, March 17: Astrophysics (Ch 25)
    • Holy Week
    • Day 1
      • The fate of the universe
      • Video: Runaway Universe
      • HW
        • Study for Exam / study guide
        • AOK - if you haven't turned in midterm corrections, do so before you leave for break.
    • Day 2
      • Exam - Astrophysics & Nuclear Physics
      • HW
        • None ... enjoy your (much deserved) break from this business! =)
        • If you are taking the AP Physics B exam in May, check out our Physics B test prep site ... there you will find equation sheets, lists of topics, and practice tests with solutions.

 

HEY! Are you interested in taking part in the PhysicsBowl? This is a nationwide competition that consists of taking a 45-minute multiple-choice exam here at SI in one of the first weeks of April. If you're interested, read more here then e-mail Mr. Philhour before Spring Break.

 

    Spring Break

  • Week of Monday, March 31: Electricity (Ch 12)
    • Day 1
      • Electrostatics, in context
        • Four Fundamental Forces of Nature: Gravity, Strong Nuclear, Weak Nuclear, Electromagnetic
      • Electric Charge:
      • Electric Charge Interaction:
        • Electric charge: ++ repulsion, -- repulsion, +- attraction, +0 attraction, & -0 attraction, 00 no effect
          • Attraction through polarization
        • Charge by friction, conduction, induction,
        • The triboelectric sequence
      • BJP Demo: Electroscope & Rabbit Fur // Repelling Water // Van de Graff shocks
      • AOK Demo: Electroscope & Rabbit Fur // Repelling Water // Sticky Balloons
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 1, 3, 4 & Begin Physics Classroom Problems on Electrostatics (here's a key)
      • Internet HW: PhET Simulations - John Travoltage, Balloons & Static Electricity
    • Day 2
      • AOK Demo: Van de Graff shocks
      • BJP Demo: Tesla Coil & Flourescent Light
      • Electric Force
        • Coulomb's Law in 1-Dimension
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 11, 13, 14 & Continue Physics Classroom Problems on Electrostatics (here's a key)
        • AOK: Exam Corrections are Due on Day 2 next week...If you scored a 2 or below on a benchmark, you must have your corrections signed by me before Day 2
    • Day 3
    • Day 4
      • HW Quiz
      • Practice Problems with Coulomb's Law
      • HW: This HW Sheet on Coulomb's Law has two problems: a simple 1-D problem and a tough 2-D problem (answers in preparation)
      • If you are taking the AP Physics B exam in May, check out our Physics B test prep site ... there you will find equation sheets, lists of topics, and practice tests with solutions.
        • AOK: Exam Corrections are Due on Day 2 next week...If you scored a 2 or below on a benchmark, you must have your corrections signed by me before Day 2

 

  • Week of Monday, April 7: Electricity (Ch 12)
    • Day 1
      • A Force Perspective: Electric Field & Electric Force
        • symmetrical to gravitational field & force -- recap the difference between F, m, and g
        • Electric Field: E = k q / r^2
        • Electric Force redefined: F = q E
        • Electric field vectors vs. electric field lines
      • Java applet for electric fields in two dimensions
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 5, 12, 16, 20 (don't forget that there will be a HW Check for this chapter)
        • AOK: Exam Corrections are Due on Day 2 next week...If you scored a 2 or below on a benchmark, you must have your corrections signed by me before Day 2
      • Fields are tough to understand. Check out these helpful pages:
    • Day 2
      • Review
        • Electric Field & Electric Force
          • Vectors & Field Lines
      • An Energy Perspective: Electric Potential ("Voltage") and Electric Potential Energy
        • symmetrical to gravitational potential & potential energy
        • Electric Potential: V = k q / r
        • Electric Potential Energy: U = q V
      • Java applet -- now look at equipotentials
      • Voltage / altitude analogy
      • Conceptual Worksheet - Electric Field & Potential (here's a key)
      • Relationship between potential energy and electric potential (analogy to definition of electric field)
      • Relationship between electric field and electric potential (via work)
      • HW: PPB Ch 12 #s 6, 7, 10, 15, 17, 21 (come to a HW Party if you have questions) // use the tutorials on the physicsclassroom.com - they're very helpful
    • Day 3
      • Review:
        • Electric Field & Electric Force
          • Vectors & Field Lines
        • Electric Potential (voltage) & Electric Potential Energy
          • Scalars & Potential Lines
      • In-class work: revisiting some concepts from chemistry (here's a key in .pdf)
    • Day 4
      • HW Quiz
      • Work, W = q delta-V
      • HW: Begin Practice Exams on PPB website (these will be checked for completion on Day 1)

 

  • Week of Monday, April 14: Electricity Exam // Electric Circuits (Ch 13)
    • Day 1
      • Exam Review
      • HW: Study for Exam
        • Note: keys for the quiz on Day 4 of last week are posted on the PPB website
        • Also, here's a key in .pdf for the chemistry-related worksheet from last week
        • Finally, here's a help-sheet for this unit. While you can't use it on the exam, it's nice to have while you study
    • Day 2
      • EXAM - Electricity
      • HW Check
      • HW: Whew...Take a break! If you're curious (or taking the AP Physics B exam), check out this article about how the charge of the electron was measured...
    • Day 3
      • Announce Exploratorium Activity
      • Introduction to Electric Circuits
        • The purpose of circuits
        • Conductors (wires) as equipotentials
        • Demo: simple circuit
      • Current, I
        • current as the flow of charge
        • conservation of charge (Kirchhoff's Law)
        • current loops
      • Voltage, V
        • Sources of constant voltages are produced through chemical reactions (batteries) or through magnetic effects (hydroelectric dams, wall outlets, power supplies) -- for now we'll treat them as 'black boxes' -- SOMETHING is producing a constant voltage, but we're going to wait to say what
        • no voltage change around a closed loop (Kirchhoff's Law)
      • Resistance, R
      • Ohm's Law: V = I R (also written I = V/R =)
      • Water/Circuit Analogy
      • Using the PhET Circuit Construction Kit
      • HW: PPB Ch 13 #s 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (if we didn't get to power in class today, skip those parts until Day 2) // Here are some conceptual problems on circuits (and a key) from physicsclassroom.com (they're tutorials are very helpful)
    • Day 4
      • Warmup: practice problem with simple circuit
      • Power, P
        • Power dissipation in resistors, P = I V = (I^2)R ... derive from U = qV by dividing by time
      • Demo: GE power meter
      • Power / conversion of kW-hr to Joules / hair dryer
      • 1 kw-hr is 3,600,000 Joules; 1 kw-hr of energy costs about 13 cents in San Francisco (CHECK THIS WITH YOUR PARENTS)
      • Time permitting: resistors in series & parallel
      • HW: Finish problems related to power from Day 1 (note that the HW Quiz originally scheduled for Day 1 has been postponed to Day 3) / Exploratorium Activity / also, please ask your parents how much they pay for each kW-hr of energy -- it should be listed on their PG&E bill. We'll discuss the differences on Monday.
      • If you are taking the AP Physics B exam in May, check out our Physics B test prep site ... there you will find equation sheets, lists of topics, and practice tests with solutions.

 

  • Week of Monday, April 21: Circuits (Ch 13) // Earth Week & Magazine Drive Holiday
    • Day 1 (Activity Schedule)
      • Resistors in Series & Parallel
      • Discussion of cost of power based on student queries of their parents over the weekend.
      • We'll pass back exams soon - we have a few makeup exams to finish up
      • HW: PPB Ch 13 #s 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 (for some problems, you can check your answers using by buiding the circuits and taking measurements with the PhET Circuit Construction Kit)
      • Special Astronomy Lecture & Observation Session: Monday, 8:00 pm in the SI Choral Room.
        • To the choral building at night, you'll need to come in on Rivera by the parking lot entrance and walk down along the football field. There will be a signup sheet.
        • Attending this event can earn a grade of 4 on benchmark 5d (AOK) or 5b (BJP)
    • Day 2 (Activity Schedule)
      • Review Resistors in Series & Parallel
        • Warmup problems using Circuits Worksheet 1 (note: this is the same sheet you will finish for homework on Day 3)
      • Circuits Lab
        • Lab instructions
        • Photo of pre-lab setup -- PLEASE make sure your lab station looks like this at the END of the period
        • You'll need to use this webpage to figure out the resistance of your resistors
        • Read carefully this webpage about ammeters and this webpage about voltmeters -- without understanding how these are used, you won't have any luck with this lab, and you might even break something!
      • HW: PPB Ch 13 #s 9, 12, 14. You may find some of these to be especially challenging. If so, that's understandble and I encourage you to drop by a HW party for help. For some problems, you can check your answers using by buiding the circuits and taking measurements with the PhET Circuit Construction Kit)
    • Day 3 (Activity Schedule)
    • Environmental Awareness Day
      • If you are taking the AP Physics B exam in May, check out our Physics B test prep site ... there you will find equation sheets, lists of topics, and practice tests with solutions.

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE for students taking the AP Physics B exam: there will be two final exam / AP exam review sessions: at 6:45 PM on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, in Room 310 (meet at the flagpole) and at 2:30 PM on THURSDAY, MAY 1, in Room 310. Your final exam in this class will consist of two 90-minute AP Physics B practice exams (one multiple choice, one free response). We are offering these on the afternoons of MONDAY MAY 5, TUESDAY MAY 6, WEDNESDAY MAY 7, and THURSDAY MAY 8 beginning at 2:30 pm. You only have to make it to TWO of these dates to take the exam. Students who are signed up to take the AP exam on May 12 and who receive a 3 or higher on this practice AP exam are EXEMPT from the final exam in this class in late May.

 

  • Week of Monday, April 28: Circuits Exam // Circuits Lab
    • Come in sometime this week to finish your lab (due Day 3)
    • Day 1
      • HW Quiz - Ohm's Law, Power & Simple Circuits in Series & Parallel
      • HW Review as practice with more complex circuits
      • HW: Get caught up on HW from PPB // Try this Circuits Worksheet 2 (Here's a Key) as practice for the exam // Begin working on practice exam
        • AOK: Work on test corrections from last exam (this material will be on the exam this week)
    • Day 2
      • Review for Exam on Day 3
      • Come in sometime this week to finish your lab (due Day 3)
      • HW: Study for Exam
        • AOK: Finish test corrections from last exam (this material will be on the exam this week)
    • Day 3 (Day 4 for 1st and 4th periods due to intruder drill)
      • EXAM - Circuits and some material on Electrostatics (i.e., from our last exam)
      • HW Check
      • Turn in Circuits Lab from last week
      • HW: TBA / Exploratorium Activity
      • If you are taking the AP Physics B exam in May, check out our Physics B test prep site ... there you will find equation sheets, lists of topics, and practice tests with solutions

IMPORTANT NOTICE for students taking the AP Physics B exam: Your final exam in this class will consist of two 90-minute AP Physics B practice exams (one multiple choice, one free response). We are offering these on the afternoons of MONDAY MAY 5, TUESDAY MAY 6, WEDNESDAY MAY 7, and THURSDAY MAY 8 beginning at 2:30 pm. You only have to make it to TWO of these dates to take the exam. Students who are signed up to take the AP exam on May 12 and who receive a 3 or higher on this practice AP exam are EXEMPT from the final exam in this class in late May.

  • Week of Monday, May 5: Magnetism (Ch 14) // AP Exams this week
    • Day 1
      • Introduction to Magnetism
        • Relationship between electricity & magnetism
        • Demo: Rebar Launcher
      • Magnetic Dipoles & Magnetic Domains
        • Demo: Refrigerator Magnets & Magnetized/De-Magnetized Paper Clips
      • Magnetic Fields & North-South Pole Attraction
        • Demo: Bar Magnet & Iron Filings
        • The Earth's Magnetic Fields & the Aurora (Northern & Southern Lights)
      • Lorentz Force
        • Right Hand Rule (RHR)
      • HW: PPB Ch 14 #s 4, 6, 7, 8 -- note Wednesday is Exploratorium free day
      • AP Practice exam after school Mon - Thu in Room 310 starting at 2:30 pm and ending at 4 pm

SATURDAY, MAY 10, 7 PM -- optional AP Physics B & C Pizza Party & Movie -- CHORAL ROOM. Movie will help you with the material for the AP Exam on Monday

 

    • Day 2
      • Lorentz Force & Right Hand Rule (RHR)
      • Force on a current-carrying wire in a magnetic field
      • Demo: kicking wire magnet
      • HW: PPB Ch 14 #s 9 &10 -- note Wednesday is Exploratorium free day
      • AP Practice exam after school Mon - Thu in Room 310 starting at 2:30 pm and ending at 4 pm
    • Day 3
      • PhET: Magnet & Compass
      • Magnetic field generated by a current carrying wire
      • Mutual forces between current carrying wires
      • 3rd period:
      • HW:PPB Ch 14 #s 11 -- note Wednesday is Exploratorium free day
      • AP Practice exam after school Mon - Thu in Room 310 starting at 2:30 pm and ending at 4 pm
    • Day 4
      • Most students gone on Friday (3rd, 6th, and 7th periods) for AP US History Exam
      • So, the HW quiz has been moved to DAY 2 of next week
      • 1st period:
        • Introduction to magnetic induction
      • Magnetic forces as centripetal forces
      • Mass Spectrometer
      • HW: PPB Ch 14 # 12 / Exploratorium Activity
      • AP Practice exam after school Mon - Thu in Room 310 starting at 2:30 pm and ending at 4 pm
      • If you are taking the AP Physics B exam next Monday, check out our Physics B test prep site ... there you will find equation sheets, lists of topics, and practice tests with solutions.

SATURDAY, MAY 10, 7 PM -- optional AP Physics B & C Pizza Party & Movie -- CHORAL ROOM. Movie will help you with the material for the AP Exam on Monday

 

  • Week of Monday, May 12: Magnetism (Ch 14) // AP Exams this week
    • Because of the short week and the AP exams, we're going to organize the weblog according to the days of the week.
    • Monday
      • 12:00 PM: AP Physics B Exam
      • 1st, 3rd
        • Motors and generators -- using magnetic forces to "generate" voltages and vice-versa (motors and generators as inverse processes)
        • Demo: turning a coil in the Earth's magnetic field to generate electricity
        • Lenz's Law
        • In-Class Worksheet - Flux & Inductance
        • Demo: toroid with sparking copper wire
        • Faraday's Law of Induction
        • HW: PPB Ch 14 # 13, 14 15 // Begin Practice Exam
      • 4th, 6th
        • Many students taking AP Physics B exam: we'll work practice magnetism problems
        • HW: finish practice problems from class
      • 7th
        • Does not meet
    • Tuesday
      • 7th, 4th
        • Motors and generators -- using magnetic forces to "generate" voltages and vice-versa (motors and generators as inverse processes)
        • Demo: toroid with sparking copper wire
        • Faraday's Law of Induction
        • Demo: turning a coil in the Earth's magnetic field to generate electricity
        • Lenz's Law
        • In-Class Worksheet - Flux & Inductance
        • HW: PPB Ch 14 # 13, 14 15 (just do direction parts for tonight // we'll calculate the induced voltages tomorrow) // Begin Practice Exam
      • 1st, 3rd
      • 6th
        • Does not meet
    • Wednesday
      • 8:00 AM: AP English Exam
      • 6th, 7th
        • Many students gone: we'll begin the electric circuits project, building a motor & speaker
        • HW: Study for Exam / Exploratorium Activity
      • 4th
        • Many students gone: we'll begin the electric circuits project, building a motor & speaker
        • HW: Finish PPB Ch 14 # 13, 14 15 / Study for Exam / Exploratorium Activity
      • 1st
      • 3rd
        • Does not meet
    • Thursday
    • Friday - Teacher Inservice (no class)

 

SENIORS: You have the option of skipping next week's Magnetism exam and allowing your performance on that section of the Final Exam count towards your grade. Or you can come in after school on Monday or Tuesday to take the exam. Your choice. On one hand, it's nice to only take one exam; on the other hand, its nice to have more than one score in the bank since for many of these curricular items we "drop low". Give it a good think.

 

  • Week of Monday, May 19: Electric Circuits Project

 

  • Week of Tuesday, May 27: Final Exams Week
    • Final Exam details
      • Tuesday, May 27 at 10:20 AM
      • 1st period: Room 309
      • 3rd period: Room 310
      • 4th period: Room 317
      • 6th period: Room 318
      • 7th period: Room 319
    • Final exam review sheet with KEY (.doc, .pdf)
    • You'll have access to a copy of the equation sheet from your textbook -- we'll provide it, no need to bring one.
    • Bring a calculator
    • Full exam exemptions due to score of 3 or higher on practice AP Physics B exam: -- note that the folks below can take SOME or ALL of the final exam if they want to increase their grade in a particular unit. You must let us know in advance which sections you will be taking (email is fine). If you choose not to take any of the exam, please ask your parents to e-mail us to confirm that they know you will not be in class.
      • Alaura Reyes, Arabian, Arimoto, Avila, Balitaan, Borcherding, Bristow, Bruneman, Cuenca, Daly, Dunn, Enriquez, Glenwright, Guggenheim, Jones, Kong, Kranenburg, Lalanne, Leonard, Reiser, Santiago, Sherburne, Strelkoff, Sun, Tzortzis, Woods, Yau
    • Partial exam exemptions due to high scores on unit exams or projects.
      • Thermodynamics & Heat Engines
        • Castro, Chan, Dana, Kachatourian, Kuhn, Mosley, Bauer-Domurat, Fotsch, Loback, Champeau, Baker, Sherburne, Shikaloff, Yau, Quinn, Mah, Leonard, Datlag, Gee, Geraghty, Carino, Chy, Lee, Ching, Freise, Ferdon, Culligan (and remember that if you didn't get a 4 on the engine but you did get it running, your grade for this unit can be no lower than your engine grade)
      • Simple Harmonic Motion & Sound
        • Sinks, Bauer-Domurat, Ching, Alaura-Reyes, Lalanne
      • Light & Atoms
        • Sun, Champeau
      • Nuclear Physics & Astrophysics
        • Castro, Cde Baca, Gotuaco, Hartman, Mosley, Ching, Culligan, Leonard, Shikaloff, Carino, Cuenca, Geraghty, Ruck, Sun, Baker, Champeau, Mrlik, Viola (and remember that your unit grade can be no lower than your grade on the nuclear war project)
      • Electricity
        • Cuenca
      • Circuits
        • Casey, Gibson, Kong, Student
      • Magnetism